Day By Day Dates

April 18 Tuesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Santissima [Clara] is allowed to see her letters— I’ve sent them up to her” [MTP: TS 51]. Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: “Mr. Clemens lunched with Col. Harvey, and Mr. Howells, and others too. (4 ladies) / Miss Pears came up from Washington to dine with Mr. Clemens” [MTP TS 14].

April 19 Wednesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: “Dinner with Mr. & Mrs. Loomis / Col Harvey took the Palmistry Article—[MTP TS 14]. Note: see Twain’s “Palm Readings” (1905) and the A.D. of Jan. 29, 1907. Playboy Magazine, Dec. 2010 issue gives a peek at Vol. 2 of Autobiography of Mark Twain, to be released in 2012 by the MTP. In this excerpt Twain responds to fortune tellers who were asked to read his handprints without knowing his identity.

William Dean Howells in NYC wrote a sentence to Sam: “At least 3 of us will come to dinner Sunday at 7. (or 7.30?)” [MTHL 2: 798].

April 20 Thursday – Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: “Mr. John Howells sent result of the estimates the furnace men made—$2000.00 for the lowest price. / Sent check to Miss Watson for Miss Harrison for $43,125.00 to pay for 1000 shares Utah” [MTP TS 14-15].

Jean Clemens wrote to the Editor of Harper’s Weekly; her letter was published on May 6, 1905 as “The Passing of the Egret,” available online via Google Books.

April 21 Friday – At 21 Fifth Ave. in N.Y.C. Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers.

Dear H. H. / I was going to wait, that day, but the sky, up the river, began to loom so black that I rushed away to escape the storm. It wasn’t much of a success. I got 40% of it.

April 22 Saturday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: The darling days go flying by and do no proper chronicling. Mr. Howells is down stairs—he dined here tonight and I had the pleasure of sitting opposite him and of hearing him and Mr. Clemens talk. How fine the appreciation of those two men—the one for the other—and the best of it is that they lay their homage at each others’ feet —a noble gift—and are the more lovely for the giving. They look into each others eyes and their speech is, “Oh noble you”—and it is enough.

Miss Nesmith sailed today in the Vaderland.

April 23 Sunday – Easter – Midnight at 21 Fifth Ave. in N.Y.C. Sam wrote to Joe Twichell.

Dear Joe— / I have just finished reading the history of Joe Hawley—a noble man, truly. I see that he was not the man to allow votes to be bought for him, & I do not believe he ever knew it. I thank you for sending me that paper.

I suppose the “Henry E. Burton” is the one who married Alice Day’s sister. I did not know he was dead [MTP].

Isabel Lyon’s journal:

April 24 Monday – Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: “Mr. Clemens went to see Mr. John Howells & Mr. Larkin about the furnace. Telephoned Mr. Renwick, making an appointment with him for Friday morning so that he can talk the matter over with Katie” [MTP TS 15].

Helena Gilder (Mrs. Richard Watson Gilder) wrote to Sam. “Mrs. Dunham asked me whether she might send you the invitation that goes with this. I said yes, indeed & that it would be a great pleasure to James if you would present at his lecture” [MTP].

April 25 Tuesday – Sam inscribed a copy of A Dog’s Tale to Mrs. Bellows: “To / Mrs. Bellows / with greetings & salutations of / The Author. / Apl. 25/05.” [MTP].

Isabel Lyon’s journal: Oh Bambino lying here on my desk—crooning away your song of comfort, you are a sweet little friend. I’ve been playing much music tonight Bambino—playing until I am saddened by the beauty of the strains.

April 26 Wednesday – Clemens had a discussion with Louis E. Van Norman concerning his ideas for Postal Checks (money orders) [Apr. 27 from Van Norman].

Isabel Lyon’s journal: “The chronicling isn’t gay. Bambino’s doom in sealed. He must go— yesterday he was sweeter than usual, but that was only the beginning of his dear older ways. Oh, little cat—it’s so very dreadful” [MTP TS 54].

Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: Sent Mrs. Tabitha Greening’s check.

Palmyra, mo

Mr van Norman came from Review of Reviews to talk about Postal check matter.

April 27 Thursday – At 21 Fifth Ave. in N.Y.C. Sam wrote to William Dean Howells.

April 28 Friday – At 21 Fifth Ave. in N.Y.C. Sam wrote to Andrew Carnegie.

Dear St. Andrew: / For thirty-eight years I have striven for the position of world’s benefactor, but you have gotten the start of me, I am too old to struggle longer—take the place, you’ve won it fair! If you had told me of this great thing when you were at my bedside the other day I would have resigned without waiting till now; & you could have had my halo, too. It may be tin, but no matter, it’s good tin, & paid the duty when it came down.

April 29 before – At 21 Fifth Ave. in N.Y.C. Isabel V. Lyon wrote for Sam to Emily B. Hapgood : “Dear M . Hapgood: / Mr. Clemens wishes me to write for him—and say that he will be very happy if you and Mr. Hapgood can dine with him and Miss Jean on Saturday evening Apr. 29th at half past seven” [MTP].

April 30 Sunday – At 21 Fifth Ave. in N.Y.C. Sam wrote to St. Clair McKelway.

Dear McKelway,—Your innumerable friends are grateful, most grateful.

As I understand the telegrams, the engineer of your train had never seen a locomotive before. Very well, then I am once more glad that there is an Ever-watchful Providence to foresee possible results and send Ogdens and McIntyres along to save our friends.

May – Sam gave his autograph to an unidentified person: “Very Truly Yours / SL. Clemens / (Mark Twain) / May/05.” [MTP].

May 1 Monday – Katy Leary and Jean Clemens left for Dublin, N.H. to get the Greene house ready for Sam. Isabel Lyon would leave on May 5 to join the pair. The nearest railway station was an hour’s drive; from that point it was three hours to Boston or six hours to New York [Lystra 46].

May 2 Tuesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: Mr. Duneka, Maj. Leigh and Mr. Larkin dined here with Mr. Clemens. Mr. Clemens had a splendid working day. Mother and I dined at Cecchina’s and it was pleasant. The people were quite interesting.

Just before dinner this evening when I followed Mr. Clemens down the stairs, his head was more beautiful than ever, in its living luminous golden silver. It is a golden silver, for there is such a wondrous light in it, a light that white hair never has [MTP: TS 55].

Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: Treatment. Paid

May 3 Wednesday – At 21 Fifth Ave. in N.Y.C. Sam wrote to Robert Underwood Johnson about his nominee picks for the Academy of Arts and Letters.

May 4 Thursday – Isabel Lyon’s journal:

May 5 Friday – Sam left NYC with H.H. Rogers on the yacht Kanawha for Fairhaven, Mass. [Lyon’s journal #2 TS 17; Lyon’s journal May 7]. Note: Due to learning of Clara’s impending appendectomy, Sam may have stayed in NYC. Lyon wrote that he was in Fairhaven. If he did not go with Rogers, it is then evident that Lyon did not know this.

Isabel Lyon and Teresa Cherubini the maid continued on their way to Dublin, N.H.

May 6 Saturday – Sam was enjoying the company of the H.H. Rogers family in Fairhaven,Mass.

May 7 Sunday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: Mr. Clemens left last Friday with Mr. Rogers and now he’s in Fair Haven. Jean had a telegram that Mr. Clemens will not arrive as soon as expected. The house needs him so dreadfully. He is so much the master of us all.

Jean is reading now Wolf von Hierbrandt’s [sic] book on the Kaiser, and we find it very interesting. I’ve began my pincushion work.

May 8 Monday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “The resting is so sweet. Perhaps the long flights of stairs at #21 [Fifth Ave.] began to shred my nerves and physical condition” [MTP TS 56].

Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: “Mr. Clemens returned to town—is detained by business” [MTP TS 18].

George H. Warner wrote from Tryon, N.C. to Sam, enclosing a newspaper clipping about Canadian fishing, “Angling for Big Gray Trout.”

Dear Mark Twain / I thought of you when I read the enclosed as the only one capable of doing it justice.

May 9 Tuesday – At 21 Fifth Ave. in N.Y.C. Sam wrote to Susan Crane.

dear, there has not been a single week of the past 48 which has not brought me reason to say “how grateful I am that Livy is out of it!”

How did she ever live in this execrable world? & why did she love it & wish to stay in it?

Jean does not know why I do not go to Dublin, & I do not want her to find out. I am staying here because Clara is to be operated on for appendicitis to-morrow afternoon & 4 o’clock.

May 10 Wednesday – The New York Times, May 11, p. 1 ran a squib that Clara Clemens was operated on in the afternoon by Dr. Hartley (likely Dr. Frank Hartley 1856-1913).

At 8 p.m. at 21 Fifth Ave. in N.Y.C. Sam wrote to Susan Crane.

dear, it’s over, & Clara is doing well. She had a famous surgeon—D . Hartley. It was a bad appendix—long & slim & with crooks in it; it was getting ready to be a dangerous case.

Good-night dear Sue—I am very tired, on account of the solicitude. / Holy Saml [MTP].

May 11 Thursday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: